Lift truck



Jan. 25, 1966 G. F. QUAYLE 3,231,047

LIFT TRUCK Filed Nov. 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 660 966 F Gm ms A 77'OP/YEV G. F. QUAYLE Jan. 25, 1966 LIFT TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTOR. G'OQGE' F Qr/AYLE 4 Filed NOV. 29, 1963 G. F. QUAYLE Jan. 25, 1966 LIFT TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 29, 1963 INVENTQR. $604966 F 004745 G. F. QUAYLE Jan. 25, 1966 LIFT TRUCK 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 29, 1963 INVENTOR GEOJPGE f. Q04 YLE BY 4%% Jan. 25, 1966 G. F. QUAYLE 3,231,047

LIFT TRUCK Filed Nov. 29, 1965 5 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR. 'O/FGE f. Gum 1.5

United States Patent 3,231,047 LIFT TRUCK George F. Quayle, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Yale & Towne, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 326,916 8 Claims. (Cl. 187-9) This invention relates to a lift truck having nested, telescoping, flanged uprights equipped with anti-friction means, such as rollers, for accepting the forces between the uprights and for reducing friction between the uprights during vertical extension of one set of uprights relatively to another.

In lift trucks of this type, it has been the practice to mount a first set of anti-friction rollers on the lower ends of the vertically extendible uprights in a position to engage and ride on flanges of the relatively stationary uprights, and to mount a second set of rollers on the upper ends of the relatively stationary uprights in a position to engage and ride on the flanges of the extendible uprights.

Such an arrangement of anti-friction rollers has the advantage that only two sets of rollers are necessary for accepting the force between the uprights during extension of the uprights. Such an arrangement does, however, pose problems of fabrication and assembly of the uprights in trucks of conventional construction, as the presence of the rollers at the top of the stationary uprights and the presence of the rollers at the lower ends of the extendible uprights prevents assembly of the uprights by inserting the extendible uprights axially into telescoping, nested relationship with the stationary uprights. Thus, with trucks of conventional construction, it is either necessary to assemble the rollers to the top of the stationary uprights after assembly of the uprights in nested relationship, which is very difficult due to the limited space available between the assembled uprights, or else cut away portions of the uprights adjacent to the rollers to allow lateral passing of the rollers and assembling of the uprights in the manner described in US. Patent No. 2,936,047.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the uprights and anti-friction rollers which will facilitate fabrication and assembly of the anti-friction rollers and the uprights.

.To this end, the extendible uprights of the truck of the invention are of a length that they extend above the upper ends of the relatively stationary'uprights when the extendible uprights are in a lowered position, and the antifriction rollers on the stationary uprights are secured to and extend above the upper ends of the relatively stationary uprights and engage the flanges of the portions of the extendible uprights which extend above the upper ends of the relatively stationary uprights.

With this arrangement, the anti-friction rollers may be quickly and easily attached to the upper ends of the relatively stationary uprights after assembly of the uprights in nested relationship, thereby obviating the necessity of cutting away portions of the uprights either to allow assembly of the uprights with the anti-friction rollers attached, or to allow engagement of the anti-friction rollers with the extendible uprights. Further, while the stationary uprights of the truck of the invention are shorter than the corresponding stationary uprights of a truck of conventional construction, there is no loss in the height of lift that can be obtained as the rollers secured to and extending above the upper ends of the stationary uprights form a functional extension of the stationary uprights.

As a feature of the invention, the anti-friction rollers are removably mounted on a cross brace which is secured to and extends between the upper ends of the relatively stationary uprights.

As a further feature of the invention, anti-friction means for accepting forces in the sidewise direction are 3,231,047 Patented Jan. 25, 1966 "ice mounted on the top of the relatively stationary uprights,

in addition to the anti-friction rollers for accepting the direction are mounted on stub shafts and the anti-friction means for accepting the forces in the sidewise direction are in the form of slide bearings which are slidably mounted in the ends of the stub shafts and are adjustable relatively to the stub shafts by means of bolts threaded through the stub shafts.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed descrpition thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not 'de part from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a truck constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the upright assembly of the truck shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing the carriage and uprights elevated,

FIG. 4 is a front view of the upright assembly as shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the disassembled uprights,

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of roller assembly for attachment to the top of the primary uprights, and

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the roller assembly shown in FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a lift truck T constructed in accordance with the invention.

The truck T includes primary or stationary uprights 10 which are mounted for slight fore-and-aft pivotal movement on the front axle of the truck, and secondary or extendible uprights 11 which may be extended relatively to the primary uprights 10. As best shown in FIG. 2, each of the primary uprights 10 and each of the secondary uprights 11 is of I-shaped cross section, and each of the secondary uprights 11 is nested within a primary upright 10, with a flange 11a thereof extending into the channel formed by flanges 10a and 10b of the primary uprights 10 and overlapping the flanges 10a and 10b.

A load carriage 12 is mounted for vertical movement on the secondary uprights 11 in the conventional manner, and the load carriage 12 and the extendible uprights are adapted to be elevated by extension of a vertical lift ram 13 which is positioned between the uprights. As best shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of the ram 13 is pivotally mounted on the primary uprights 10 through a bracket 14 and the upper end of the ram is guided by a vertical guide rod 14a which is attached to the secondary uprights 11. Chain sheaves 15 are mounted on the upper end of the ram 13, and a pair of lift chains 16 are secured at one end to the primary uprights 10, extend over the sheaves 15 and are secured at their opopsite ends to the load carriage 12. Extension of the ram 13, therefore serves to first elevate the load carriage 12 relatively to the primary and Secondary uprights through the chains 16, and to thereafter elevate the load carriage 12' and secondary uprights 11 as a unit. 7

An anti-friction roller 17 is secured to the lower end of each of the secondary uprights 11 in a position to engageand ride on the inside surface of a flange 10a of the primary uprights 10. As be'stshown in FIGS. 3 and 6;" the lower ends of the-flanges 11a of the secondary uprights 11 are cut'awayto allow the rollers 17 to engage the-flanges 1021 of the primary uprights 10. An antifriction roller 18 is also secured to the upper end of each of'th'e primary uprights 10in a position to engage the inner surfaces of a flange 11a of the secondary uprights 11-. The twosets of rollers 17 and 18, therefore accept the forces between the uprights during extension of the secondary uprights l1 relatively to the primary uprights 10",- to' facilitate extension of the secondary uprights.

' Asbest shown in'FIGS. 1 and the secondary uprights 11 are of a length that upper end portions 11c thereof extend above the upper ends of the primary uprights whenthe uprights" are' in a lowered position, and the roll'erslS' are mounted on the tops of the primary uprights 10a'nd engage the inside surfaces of the flanges 11a of the portions 110 of the secondary uprights 11 thatextend above the top of the primary uprightslt).

Wit-h this'arrangement, thesecondary uprights 11, with the rollers 17 attached to the lower ends thereof, may be assembled in nested relationship with the primary uprights 10"by first inserti'ng'the secondary uprights 11 into the primary uprights 10 from the upper ends'of the primary uprights 10, and thereafter securing the rollers 18 to the tops of the primary uprights 10. Because the rollers 13 are" attached to the tops of the primary uprights 10 and engage the flanges 11a of the portion 110 of the uprights l l which extend above the tops of the primary uprights 10, there is sufficient space available to allow the rollers 18 to' be quickly and easily attachedto the uprights 10 after assembly of the uprights in nested relationship. This arrangement, therefore, obviates the necessity of having to assemble the upper rollers in the limited space available between the uprights as in the trucks of prior construction, of of cutting away portions of the uprights adjacent the rollers to permit assembly of the uprights with the rollers attached, in the manner of United States Letters Patent No. 2,936,047.

In the form of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6; each roller 18 is mounted on a stub shaft 19 formed as an integral part of a mounting plate 20,

and the mounting plate 20 is secured by bolts 21 to the upper surface of across brace 22 which extends between and is welded or otherwise secured to the tops of the primary uprights 10. As a feature of this form of the invention, eacli'of the mounting plates 20 is provided with a bore 23' which extends axially through the stub shaft 19. The bore 23 of each mounting plate 20 slideably receives'the stem portion 24 of a slide bearing member 25 to support the bearing member 25 in a position to engage the web 110 of th esecondary upright 11 and accept side thrust between the secondary and primary uprights. Each of the bearing members 25 may be adjusted to take upexcessive play between the primary and secondary uprights by a bolt 26 which is threaded into the'bore 23 of the mounting plate 20 and engages the inner end of the stem 24 of the bearing member 25 whereby rotation of the bolt 26 will move the bearing member 25 relatively to the stub shaft 19. Each of the bolts 26 is adapted to be locked in adjusted position by a lock nut 27. The mounting plates 20 with the rollers 18 and slide bearing 25 assembled thereto may be quickly and easily attached to the tops of the primary uprights by the bolts 21.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown a sl gh ly different arrangement in Which rollers 28 are used for accepting side thrust between the primary and secondary uprights instead of the slide bearings 25. In this arrangement, a mounting plate 29 is provided having a first integral stub shaft" 30 for mounting the roller 18 and a second integral stub shaft 30 positioned at right angles to the second stub-shaft 31 for mounting the roller 23 in a position to engage the outer edge of the flange 11a of the secondary uprights 11. The mounting plate 29 with the rollers 18 and 28 assembled thereon, may be quickly attached to the cross brace 22 at the top of the uprights 10 by bolts 32.

From the preceding description, it can be seen that there is provided a novel arrangement of uprights and anti-friction rollers which permitsthe uprights to be quickly and easily assembled in nested relationship without cutting away portions of the flanges of the upper ends of the uprights. Further,- while the primary uprights 10 of the truck are shorter than theprimary uprights of atruck of conventional construction, there is norloss' in the height of lift that can be obtained, as the rollers; 18

secured to andextending above the upper ends of theprimary uprights 10 form functional extensions of the"- uprights. While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it will beappreciated that this is forthe purpose of illustration and thatchanges and modifications may be made therein without departing. from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Inow claim: I r

1. In a lift truck, a first flanged vertical upright mounted on said truck, a second flanged vertical upright in nested relationship withthe first upright with a-flange thereof in overlapping relationship to a flange on said first upright, means for elevating saidsecond upright rela tively to said first upright from a loweredYposition-to an elevated position,. said second upright being of a length that a portion ofthe upper end thereof extendsabove the upper .end ofsaid first upright when said second upright is in. said lowered position, anti-friction: means mounted on the lower end of said second up-' right and engaging the overlapping flange of said first upright,.and anti-friction: means mounted on and positioned above the upper end of said first upright and engaging the overlapping flange of said portion of said second upright which extends above the upper end of said first upright.

2. In a lift truck, a first flanged vertical upright mounted onsaid truck, a second flanged vertical upright in nested relationship with the first upright with a flange thereof in overlapping relationship to a flangeon said first upright, means for elevating said second upright relatively to said first upright from a. lowered position to an elevated position, said second upright being of a length that a portion .of the upper end thereof extends abovethe upper end of said firstupright when said-v second upright is in said lowered position, anti-friction means mounted on the lower end of said second upright and engaging the overlapping flange of said first upright, first anti-friction means mounted on and'positioned above the top of said first upright and engaging the overlapping flangeof the portion of said second upright which extends above the upper end of said first upright for accepting forces between said uprights in the fore-and-aft direction of the said truck, and second anti-friction means: mounted on the top of said first upright and engaging: said second upright for accepting side forces betweern said uprights.

3. In a lift truck, a first flanged vertical upright mount-- ed on said truck, a second flanged vertical upright in. nested relationship with the first uprightwitha flange thereof in overlapping relationship to a flange on said first upright, means for elevating said second upright relatively to said first upright from a lowered position to an elevated position, said second upright. being. of a length that a portion of the upper endthereof extends above the upper end of said first upright when. said, QQ-QBSL HP- right is in said lowered position, an anti-friction roller mounted on the lower end of said second upright and engaging the overlapping flange of said first upright, an anti-friction roller mounted on and positioned above the top of said first upright and engaging the overlapping flange of said portion of said second upright which extends above the upper end of said first upright for accepting forces between said uprights in the forward direction of said truck, and a slide bearing mounted on the top of said first upright and engaging said second upright for accepting side forces between said uprights.

4. In a lift truck, a first flanged vertical u right mounted on said truck, a second flanged vertical upright in nested relationship with the first upright with a flange thereof in overlapping relationship to a flange on said first upright, means for elevating said second upright relatively to said first upright from a lowered position to an elevated position, said second upright being of a length that a portion of the upper end thereof extends above the upper end of said first u right when said second upright is in said lowered osition, an anti-friction roller mounted on the lower end of said second upright and engaging the overlapping flan e of said first upright, and an anti-friction foller mounted on and positioned above the top of said first upright and engaging the overlapping flange of said portion of said second upright which extends above the upper end of said first upright for accepting forces between said uprights in the forward direction of said truck, and a second anti-friction roller mounted on the top of said first upright and engaging said second upright for accepting side forces between said uprights.

5. In a lift truck, a first flanged vertical upright mounted on said truck, a second flanged vertical upright in nested relationship with the first upright with a flange thereof in overlapping relationship to a flange on said first upright, means for elevating said second upright relatively to said first upright from a lowered position to an elevated position, said second upright being of a length that a portion of the upper end thereof extends above the upper end of said first upright when said second upright is in said lowered position, anti-friction means mounted on the lower end of said second upright and engaging the overlapping flange of said first upright, a mounting plate having a stub shaft and a bore extending axially through said stub shaft, an anti-friction roller mounted on said stub shaft and a slide bearing having a stem portion received in said bore, and means securing said mounting plate on the top of said first upright in a position that said roller is positioned above said first upright and engages the overlapping flange of the portion of said second upright which extends above the upper end of said first upright and accepts forces between said uprights in the forward direction of said truck and said slide bearing engages a portion of said second upright and accepts side forces between said uprights.

6. In a lift truck, a first pair of spaced flanged vertical uprights mounted on said truck, a second pair of spaced flanged vertical uprights in nested relationship with said first pair of uprights with flanges thereof in overlapping relationship to flanges of said first pair of uprights, means for elevating said second pair of uprights relatively to said first pair of uprights from a lowered position to an elevated position, said second pair of uprights being of a length that a portion of the upper ends thereof extends above the upper ends of said first pair of uprights when said second pair of uprights is in said lowered position, a cross brace secured to and extending between the tops of the uprights of said first pair of uprights, anti-friction rollers mounted on the lower ends of said second pair of uprights and engaging the overlapping flanges of said first pair of uprights, and anti-friction rollers mounted and positioned above said cross brace on said first pair of uprights and engaging the overlapping flanges of said portions of said second pair of uprights which extend above the upper ends of said first pair of uprights.

'7. In a lift truck, a first I-shaped vertical upright mounted on said truck, a second I-shaped vertical upright in nested relationship with the first upright with a flange thereof extending into the channel formed by flanges of said first upright and overlapping said flanges of said first upright, means for elevating said second upright relatively to said first upright from a lowered position to an elevated position, said second upright being of a length that a portion of the upper end thereof extends above the upper end of said first upright when said second upright is in said lowered position, an anti-friction roller mounted on the lower end of said second upright and engaging an overlapping flange of said first upright, and an anti-friction roller mounted on the top of and positioned above said first upright and engaging the said flange of the portion of said second upright which extends above the upper end of said first upright for accepting forces between said uprights in the forward direction of said truck, and a slide bearing mounted on the top of said first upright and engaging the web of said second upright for accepting side forces between said uprights.

8. In a lift truck a first pair of I-shaped vertical uprights mounted on said truck, a second pair of I-shaped vertical uprights in nested relationship with the first pair of uprights with a flange thereof extending into the channels formed by flanges on said first pair of uprights and overlapping said flanges, means for elevating said second pair of uprights relatively to said first pair of uprights from a lowered position to an elevated position, said second pair of uprights being of a length that a portion of the upper ends thereof extends above the upper ends of said first pair of uprights when said second pair of uprights is in said lowered position, a cross brace secured to and extending between the tops of the uprights of said first pair of uprights, anti-friction means mounted on the lower end of said second upright and engaging an overlapping flange of said first upright, a pair of mounting plates each having a stub shaft and a bore extending axially through said stub shaft, an antifriction roller mounted on the stub shaft of each mounting plate, a slide bearing having a stem portion received in the bore of each mounting plate, an adjusting screw in each of said bores for adjusting the position of the slide bearing relatively to the stub shaft, and means for securing each of said mounting plates on the top of said cross brace at the top of each upright of said first pair of uprights in a position that the anti-friction roller engages the portion of said flange of each of said second pair of uprights which extends above the upper end of said first pair of uprights, and said slide bearing engages the web of each of said second pair of uprights.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1952 Barnes 187-9 4/1959 Comfort 18795 

1. IN A LIFT TRUCK, A FIRST FLANGED VERTICAL UPRIGHT MOUNTED ON SAID TRUCK, A SECOND FLANGED VERTICAL UPRIGHT IN NESTED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIRST UPRIGHT WITH A FLANGE THEREOF IN OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP TO A FLANGE ON SAID FIRST UPRIGHT, MEANS FOR ELEVATING SAID SECOND UPRIGHT RELATIVELY TO SAID FIRST UPRIGHT FROM A LOWERED POSITION TO AN ELEVATED POSITION, SAID SECOND UPRIGHT BEING OF A LENGTH THAT A PORTION OF THE UPPER END THEREOF EXTENDS ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID FIRST UPRIGHT WHEN SAID SECOND UPRIGHT IS IN SAID LOWERED POSITION, ANTI-FRCTION MEANS MOUNTED ON THE LOWER END OF SAID SECOND UPRIGHT AND ENGAGING THE OVERLAPPING FLANGE OF SAID FRIST UPRIGHT, AND ANTI-FRICTION MEANS MOUNTED ON AND POSITIONED ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID FIRST UPRIGHT AND ENGAGING THE OVERLAPPING FLANGE OF SAID PORTION OF SAID SECOND UPRIGHT WHICH EXTENDS ABOVE THE UPPER END OF SAID FIRST UPRIGHT. FIRST UPRIGHT. 